North Shore tops Converse Judson for 5A title

Pressure defense does the trick in netting first title in school history

North Shore players, including guard Jordan Banks, center, acquire a taste for gold after collecting their state championship medals following a convincing 57-45 victory over Converse Judson in the Class 5A final Saturday night at the Erwin Center in Austin. less

North Shore players, including guard Jordan Banks, center, acquire a taste for gold after collecting their state championship medals following a convincing 57-45 victory over Converse Judson in the Class 5A ... more

North Shore's tallest player is 6-6 Adrian Brown, a reserve who didn't see any time in the Mustangs' two state tournament games. Judson started two players at least an inch taller - 6-7 Tanner Leissner and 6-9 David Wacker.

What North Shore lacked in height, it more than made for with its defensive pressure. The Mustangs controlled the pace - and the game - to beat Converse Judson 57-45 and capture the 5A title at the Erwin Center. It's the basketball program's first championship in three trips.

North Shore forced 18 Judson turnovers and was outrebounded by only four, 29-25. The Mustangs outscored the Rockets 40-16 in the paint.

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There's a first time for everything

North Shore captures its first basketball championship Saturday in three trips to state:

Year Cl. Opp. Result

1991* 5A Duncanville L 82-50

1997 5A Kimball L 64-53

2014 5A Judson W 57-45

*-Lost in the semifinals.

"They don't quit," North Shore coach David Green said. "We get after it on defense, and any time you can play defense and shut people down, good things have to happen."

It's also the first title for Green, who reached the state tournament with his fourth school. The Mustangs won nine games the year before he arrived, but they have won at least 30 in each of his three seasons.

"It's so fulfilling because it's not about me - it's about them," he said. "I get joy just seeing this for them. I've told them all year long, 'Come to Austin, have a good time but come to take care of business.'

"And that's exactly what they did these last two day - they took care of business."

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North Shore finished 35-3 this season, while Judson ended its year 37-2.

Third quarter decisive

The third quarter turned the game in the Mustangs' favor and showed how dominant their defense could be.

North Shore held Judson to five points - a 3-point play 52 seconds in and two free throws with 1:55 left. The Rockets had more turnovers (six) than points as North Shore turned a six-point halftime lead into a 39-25 runaway.

After Tony Allen's 3-pointer cut the Rockets' deficit to 9-8, North Shore forced three turnovers over the final three minutes of the first quarter.

The Mustangs took advantage, scoring eight of the next 10 points to close the quarter up 17-10.

In the second quarter, North Shore kept the heat on. Of North Shore's 26 points in the first half, 22 came in the paint.

"Last year we didn't run that defense, but this year we had to change our style of play because we knew we were undersized," Foster said. "We had to buy in to what the coaches said and use that pressure defense.